The first annual ArborJam will be held on April 27, 6-9 p.m. at the Sweetwater Brewing Company, 195 Ottley Drive, Atlanta. This event is an evening of food, music, and fun to raise funds for the Georgia Urban Forest Council (GUFC) and the Georgia Arborist Association (GAA). Attendees will enjoy the soulful acoustic sounds of Jackson County Line, delicious LowCountry Barbeque (sweet tea included), and the famous brews of Sweetwater Brewing Company. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by clicking on the “Buy Tickets” button below. (A limited number of $45 at-the-door tickets will be available.) So order your tickets now, mark your calendar, and get set for a fun evening with new friends and old. Proceeds directly support the ongoing programs of the GUFC and the GAA, and a portion of your ticket is tax-deductible.
Media support for ArborJam is provided by Atlanta Intown.
GUFC is partnering with the Macon Museum of Arts & Sciences, 4182 Forsyth Road, for “Community Trees Day” on Saturday, March 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a free outdoor event. (Admission to Museum is extra.) Join us for an exciting day of fun and learning for all ages. Enjoy informational talks on tree planting, pruning, how to spot a hazard tree, and when to call an arborist. Learn from a tree planting demonstration. Kids can enjoy activities such as leaf rubbing, coloring, and paper making. Also scheduled will be educational exhibits and a walk on the nature trail. Everyone gets to take home a seedling! Food will be available for purchase. The Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences is an Earthshare of Georgia member.
Join us on April 7, 9 a.m. to noon, at Gwinnett Tech for GUFC’s “Trees & Stormwater Management” seminar. GUFC has invited innovative designers and engineers to demonstrate and discuss how trees and vegetation contribute to effective stormwater management. Steve Sanchez, ASLA, and Principal at Hughes, Good, O’Leary & Ryan Landscape Architects ,will give an overview of how trees contribute to stormwater management, review design principles, and discuss innovative HGOR projects. Michael Kidd, ASLA, LEED AP, of jB+a planning and landscape architecture and Gregg Bayard, Co-Executive Director of Parallel Housing, will discuss their Peter Street Project, an affordable housing development in Athens, Georgia. Topics covered will be initial site plan, inventory and analysis, revised site plan, ordinance requirements, tree protection measures, new trees, stormwater systems (including rain gardens, vegetated bio-swales, cisterns, rain capture, impervious vs. pervious), and the re-zoning process. Pete Wright, Stormwater Engineer for Gwinnett County, will give an overview of the Gwinnett County Watershed Improvement Program (issues, goals, and strategies) and a presentation/discussion on several projects that have been implemented using “natural” stream design and construction practices. He will lead a discussion of the benefit and use of vegetative stream buffer, plants and trees. Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of Stormwater magazine and have the opportunity to go on an optional field trip afterwards to view a Gwinnett project. Registration: $30, members; $40, non-members. CEUs will be available. Morning refreshments provided. Gwinnett Tech is located at 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville. The program will be held in the auditorium of Building 100. (Photo courtesy of Hughes, Good, O’Leary, and Ryan)
In this issue: April 7 Trees & Stormwater seminar, Ed Macie Wins National Urban Forestry Award, ArborJam, ArborDay Events, upcoming programs.
Click here to download the Spring issue or click on the image at right.
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Did you know that the presence of trees can increase developed land values by as much as 27%? Spend just ten minutes to hear how successful developers across the South are incorporating more trees into their master plans and yielding bigger profits. Learn how Hammond’s Ferry, Sustainable Fellwood, and Camp Callaway are enjoying the benefits of building greener. Want to show this video at a meeting? Call us at 800.994.4832 and we’ll get a copy of the DVD to you, or you can log on to this page and download the video at the link above.
Municipalities have many demands on them: transportation, safety, education, development and much more. Urban foresters and arborists understand the importance of urban foresty in terms of benefits and safety; the goal is for municipal budgets to reflect this importance. Urban forestry often must compete for municipal dollars. To compete effectively requires constant education and communication with municipal hierarchy and elected officials. Georgia Urban Forest Council strives to deliver the tools to accomplish this through our educational programs, resources, and community outreach.
The west coast is spectacular, even the trees reach heights of over 350 feet. However, the breadth of tree diversity does not compare to the Southeast. Consider trees you can select just for the understory in this region: Sassafras, Silverbell, Dogwood, Sourwood, Yellow Wood, Paw Paw… the list goes on. At some point even overstory trees like white oak and yellow popular are understory trees. Next time you are in the forest in Georgia, enjoy its breadth and diversity!
This quercas alba (white oak, click on for larger view) has been pruned over the years by the utility company. It does not appear to have one dominant leader, and the homeowner is wondering if the many crowded branches growing vertically are weak attachments. The homeowner also wonders if by thinning the crown in particular, the verticle branches growing upward, would reduce wind drag and make the tree less likely to fail. What do you think?
Have you been to Thompson Mill Forest Arboretum near the town of Braselton, just off I-85? This 330 acre site contains 214 marked trees that are native to Georgia and many interesting non-native species. There is also a Native Tree Collection Trail with a well written and informative brochure that can be downloaded. For more info go to http://warnell.forestry.uga.edu/warnell/tmf/.
Observing street tree installation can often be like the old saying, “watching sausage being made.” Many times, arborists have to tolerate trees being planted in what is often referred to as tree crypts, where little consideration is given to the soil, space for roots, and tree selection. Expense and lack of communication are often sited as the main reasons for the neglect. Lack of communication is exacerbated by separate departments or contractors overseeing the planning, engineering, and installation. Have you used a successful strategy to have street trees installed properly? Please share it.
music, and fun to raise funds for the Georgia Urban Forest Council (GUFC) and the Georgia Arborist Association (GAA). Attendees will enjoy the soulful acoustic sounds of Jackson County Line, delicious LowCountry Barbeque (sweet tea included), and the famous brews of Sweetwater Brewing Company. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by clicking on the “Buy Tickets” button below. (A limited number of $45 at-the-door tickets will be available.) So order your tickets now, mark your calendar, and get set for a fun evening with new 
friends and old. Proceeds directly support the ongoing programs of the GUFC and the GAA, and a portion of your ticket is tax-deductible. 
Have you been to Thompson Mill Forest Arboretum near the town of Braselton, just off I-85? This 330 acre site contains 214 marked trees that are native to Georgia and many interesting non-native species. There is also a Native Tree Collection Trail with a well written and informative 
